Axle.



I PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905. L. A. KEENE.

AXLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1904.

, carrying wheels at their outer ends.

Patented February 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

' OUIs A. KEENE, OF WATERMAN, ILLINOIS.

AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 782,564, dated February 14, 1905.

Application filed June 25, 190% Serial NO. 214,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS A. KEENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Water man, in the county of Dekalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvernents in Axles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is the production of an improved axle for vehicles wherein simplicity of construction is combined with great strength. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of this improved axle. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on dotted line 3 of Fig. 2. r

In the construction of an axle embodying this invention I provide an axle proper, 1. in this instance formed from a round steel bar bent to provide an arch near its middle portion, having a top bar 2, diverging sides 3, and oppositely-extending arms 4, the latter The two arms i are connected by means of two chord members 6, secured together side by side and having grooves 7 in their meeting faces to receive the diverging sides 3 of the arch. At their ends the chord members 6 rest upon the upper sides of the arms t, be-' ing secured rigidly to said arms by means of clips 8, which clips surround the arms 4 upon their under sides and extend upward through suitable openings in the chord members'6, being screw-threaded at their upper ends to receive the nuts 9. The chord members are also secured together by means of bolts 10 passing transversely through them. 1

The lower member 11 of the fifth-wheel is secured to the upper bar 2 of the axle proper tubular bearing-boss 17 coincident with the bearing-boss of the lower member, and a ings in a plate 25.

king-bolt 18, passing through both of said bearing-bosses, is held in position therein by means of a cotter-pin 19. at its lower end.

The upper member of the' fifth-wheel is also provided with two forwardly extending bracket-arms 20 for supporting a portion of the vehicle-body. Two posts 21, rising from the upper member 16, support the forward bolster 22 of the vehicle.

The tongue 23 of the vehicle is pivotally secured to the top bar 2 of the axle proper by means of clips 24 passing beneath said top bar and extending through suitable open- The upper end of the clips are screw-threaded toreceive nuts 26, and the plate 25 is fastened to the rear end of the tongue and upon the upper side thereof by means of bolts 27.- Rods 28 connect the ends of the axle with the tongue 23, said rodsv being secured at their opposite ends to the tongue and to the chord members 6.

By the construction hereinbefore outlined it will be seen that the arch'of the axle proper is supported by means of the chord members 6. By reason of the arched construction the axle is adapted to vehicles having small for ward wheels. The weight of the load placed upon this axle is carried upon the arch of the axle proper. The tendency of the weight to crush said arch is counteracted by means of the chord members 6, which being secured to the axle proper at opposite sides of the arch prevent the spreading of the ends of the arch, and therefore prevent the crushing .of said arch. The simple construction hereinbefore shown and described permits of an easy separation of the parts for renewal or repair. The lower part of the fifth-wheel may be removed from the remainder of the wagon by withdrawing the cotter-pin 19 from the lower end of the king-bolt l8, and the lower member of the fifth-wheel may be removed from the axle by withdrawing the bolts 13, passing through the arms 12 of said lower member. The tongue may be withdrawn from the up per bar 2 of the arch by unscrewing the nuts 26 fr'omthe clips 24. v

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described herein, as such construction and ar-,

rangement may be modified or varied by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

v I claim as my invention 1. In an axle, in combination, an axle member comprising two horizontal arms and a cen tral arched portion; and two chord members secured to said arms and receiving between them the sides of said arched portion.

2. In an axle, in combination, an axle member comprising two horizontal arms and a central arched portion; two chord members secured together, said chord members being grooved to receive between them the sides of said arched portion; and clips for securing said chord members-to said arms.

3. In an axle, in combination, a metallic axle member formed from a bar bent to provide a central arched portion and two arms; and two straight wooden chord members secured to said arms and receiving between them the sides of said arched portion for preventing the sides of said arched portion from spreading.

4.. In an axle, in combination, a metallic axle member formed from a bar bent to provide a c'entralarched portion and two horizontal arms; two straight Wooden chord members secured to said arms, said chord members being grooved to receive between them the sides of said arched portion; bolts for securing said chord members together; and clips for securing said chord members to said horizontal arms.

5. In running gear, in combination, an arched axle; a tongue connected with the arched portion of said axle; means for prethe end of said tongue with the arched portion of said axle; means for preventing the sides of said arched portion from spreading; and rods rigidly connecting said tongue with the end portions of said axle member.

7. In running-gear, in combination, a fifthwheel having two downwardly extending arms, bifurcated at their lower ends; an arched axle pivotally supported in the bifurcations of said arms; and withdrawable means for retaining said axle in said arms.

8. In running-gear, in combination, a fifthwheel comprising an upper and a lower member rotatably secured together; an axle pivotally connected with the lower fifth-wheel member; a tongue connected at one end with said axle; and means for connecting the ends of said axle with said tongue.

9. In running-gear, in combination, a fifthwheel comprising an upper and a lower member rotatably secured together; an axle having an arched central portion, which central portion is pivotally connected with the lower member of said fifth-wheel; a tongue connected at one end with said central portion; and means for connecting the ends of said axle with said tongue.

Louis A. KEQENE. 

